On Monday, executives from Mitsubishi Motors North America told dealers that it will return to prime-time network TV by doubling its marketing budget. The marketing increase will go along with the arrival of the redesigned 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander, featuring an upgraded interior and upscale look.
“We’re going to be on prime-time TV and we’ll plan to have the highest spend in digital,” said Mitsubishi spokesman Roger Yasukawa . This will mark Mitsubishi’s first appearance to prime-time network TV since 2005, and it is not known how much will be spent on the upgraded marketing.
Since Mitsubishi hit bottom, dealers have become optimistic but remain cautious about the brand’s future in the United States. With the discontinuation of the Galant sedan, Eclipse coupe and Spyder convertible, and the Endeavor crossover, Mitsubishi sales dropped 27 percent in 2012, while the overall market grew 13 percent.
Without a new product line, dealers have become concerned. However, R.C. Hill, owner of R.C. Hill Mitsubishi in DeLand, Florida, said, “We need a mid-size sedan and we need a full-size SUV.” Mitsubishi plans to have its comeback focus on those two pillars, and although there are no specifications, later this year, Mitsubishi will be introducing a subcompact to its lineup.
Source: Automotive News
Most Active